


Just Give Me A Break!

by Karratran



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, HaruRinHaru, I don't know why I write it, I'm going to write implied and explicitly stated ships, My Son Momo-chan, NOT SHIPPY MOSTLY, NagiReiGisa, Nagisa is a scheming little shit, Nagisa-Momo shenanigans, Rei is going to be the death of me, Rin's time in Australia, Samezuka shenanigans, Shoujo Idiots, Some angst here and there, that storm, which include
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-08 22:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1958958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karratran/pseuds/Karratran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles that may or may not be related. Meant to be a breather, hence the Title!</p><p>(Will update tags along with new drabbles!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chickens

**Author's Note:**

> Overall, not shippy, but I might write some with implied relationships or _clearly going out_ , depending on the mood.
> 
> I ship only HaruRinHaru, NagiReiGisa, and p much just that. I'm not multishipper, sorry. If I feel like it I might make some drabbles about other ships, but, as I said before, the drabble collection will NOT be shippy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out, maybe Rin isn't so good at dealing with underclassmen. Or chickens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Chickens.  
> Rating: T for language.  
>  **Today's theme: Chickens (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Characters/Pairing: Matsuoka Rin, Mikoshiba Momotarou, Hazuki Nagisa, Ryuugazaki Rei, mentions of others. Implied RinHaru, if you squint hard.
> 
> NOT shippy. Kinda.
> 
> Yes, I know the chapter title is unoriginal.

Rin sighed again. _Come again, how the hell did I get into this mess?_

“Oi, Rin-senpai!” Momo called at him with a playful tone. “You’re supposed to get them into the crates, not let them get on top of you,” He laughed.

“Oh, shut up,” Rin groaned as he pushed a chicken off of his stomach and stood up.

“Rin-chan likes bottom!” Nagisa chimed in.

Rin felt a vein throb on his forehead.

“Nagisa-kun! That is not polite!” Rei admonished his blonde friend.

“But it’s the truth! Ai-chan said so!” _The little shit._

“Shut up, Nagisa!”

They were all covered in dirt and soot, even if they were being somewhat careful, but now Rin’s back was completely covered in it, plus chicken poop. And it was most definitely not amusing.

Why had they agreed to help out the local farmer with getting his chickens back to the crates?

Yes, he had been with Ai, Sousuke and Momo. Yes, they had been jogging nearby. Yes, they were young (“You kids are younger than a teenager like me!” The old man said). And yes, both Iwatobi and Samezuka were jogging on the same area, for some unknown reason. And it did not involve a text message from a certain Haru, saying he wanted to jog with Rin, or a certain Rin agreeing. Nope, not at all.

Both teams came across each other just as the old man decided to ask the Iwatobi team for help.

And now half of the group was looking for the runaway chickens, while the other half picked up the nearest -and slower- chickens.

Rin wished he had gone with the other half. These three little morons where giving him a headache.

And more so, now, because Rei was currently shrieking in outrage and fumbling trying to find a way to _get the fucking chicken out of his pants_. How did it get in there, Rin had no idea. And it totally didn’t have to do with some cackling Hazuki Nagisa and Mikoshiba Momotarou rolling on the ground. Nope.

_Little shits._

Rin narrowed his eyelids and pouted, before going to Rei and try to help him out of his predicament.

And how the fuck did he end up with a fucking chicken pooping on his head, Rin will never know.

And, nope, it had nothing to do with Nagisa and Momo laughing behind him.

To top it all up, the chicken was still on his head.

Rin didn’t dare to move. Not until the stupid bird jumped off -the fuckers don’t fly- swatting it’s useless wings and getting loose feathers stuck in the poop.

“Looking _fly_ , senpai!”

…

_He… did not just…_

If Rin ever felt the need to cry at his misfortune, now was not one of those times.

And Mikoshiba Momotarou learned that sometimes, just sometimes, it’s not a good idea to get along with Nagisa. Or tease your swim club captain, who happens to be a master in the use of the “iron claw”.

Especially that last thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my sis for giving me ideas, I suck at plotting.


	2. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy’s memories and hopes for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Memories.  
> Rating: G.  
>  **Today’s theme: Festival (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Characters: Nitori Ai'ichirou, mentions of others.

Nitori Ai'ichirou has bad memories with festivals.

When he was young, he went with his family to a local festival. It had been really pretty with all the lights and colors, but he tripped and fell, scrapping his knees and his hands, and some children that saw him started to laugh. He ended up crying until he fell asleep on his father’s piggy back ride.

Last year, during the Squid Festival in Iwatobi, Rin-senpai had been feeling really bad and ended up ditching him. He had been really worried, and the worry didn’t dissipate even after his senpai had gotten to the train station in time. It only got worse when the redhead demanded Mikoshiba-buchou to put him in the relay team.

The rest is history though.

The next festival he went with his senpai, the Crab Festival, they encountered the Iwatobi team, then both Rin-senpai and Nanase-san proceeded to ignore everyone else in order to “compete against each other”.

Technically speaking, it was a happy memory because he was happy that senpai was enjoying himself, but what soured it was that those two morons kept it up until it was almost time for the last train back to Samezuka to leave, and grey haired boy would not leave without his senpai.

But he also has good memories, too.

Like the time they had to wear maid dresses for the Academy’s Festival. It had been fun to see the redhead so flustered and bothered with it. The iron claw move his senpai pulled on him had not been fun, though.

Or the time when they had a break after exams and he went back home to pay a visit. There had been a small festival going on, and he went to check it out with his cousins. They spent a lot of time on the games, betting against each other and collecting right after. One of his cousins, the eldest, told him that he had changed, that he seemed more mature and independent. And then proceeded to congratulate him for being someone others could lean on and trust.

It made him very happy.

And now that Rin-senpai, Yamazaki-senpai, Momo-kun and him had become a team, Nitori feels that things can only get better.

He is sure this year’s festivals will be fun too, now that he's made good friends.


	3. Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team bonding is important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Stargazing.  
> Rating: G.  
>  **Today’s theme: Starfish (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Characters: Mikoshiba Momotarou, Matsuoka Rin, Nitori Ai’ichirou, Yamazaki Sousuke.
> 
> I thought that if the Iwatobi boys had a stargazing scene, then why couldn’t the Samezuka boys have one, too?

_Huff- huff- huff-_

Momotarou could hear his pulse in his ears and not only his own, but also his senpais’ heavy breathing.

He was sure his cheeks were flushed with exertion and his warm breath fogged into the cool air. He trembled slightly and put his hands over his mouth as a chilly breeze sneaked into his shirt.

It was still spring, and the nights still a bit cold, but it was really bearable.

Though, it was not necessary to pull your teammates into a night jog when they could be better off bundled into their bed sheets, sleeping soundly.

The chill only got worse the closer they got to the ocean.

But Momotarou chose not to say a word about it. Considering the captain, Rin-senpai, might as well find a way to shut him up forcibly.

 _Oh, yes_ , this Momo-chan had learned that it was not a good idea to speak his mind so openly.

Instead he grunted, but kept moving.

After a little while they took a break by the beach.

It was cold, and he was tired, but the orange haired teenager decided he still had enough energy to go check out the area and Sousuke-senpai warned him from going too far before he left.

When he climbed up some rocks near the fringe between sea and land, he noticed there were some pretty starfishes in a small pool.

Being the overexcitable child he was, he nearly fell into the pool when he stuck a hand inside to poke the animals with his forefinger. His childish grin slowly turned into a sly smirk as his overactive mind worked an idea.

It was definitely going to earn him a scolding, but he figured it’d be worth it.

Sneakily, he lurked behind Nitori-senpai and, with extreme care, he pulled slightly the t-shirt’s neck enough to push the starfish inside. The shiver he witnessed passing through his senpai’s back along with an undignified squeak was enough to send him into a laughing fit that got him rolling in the sand.

“M-Mo-Momo-k-kun…!!” The shock in Nitori-senpai’s voice made him laugh harder.

“Momo…..”

Momotarou’s laughter died in an instant.

 _Uh-oh_.

Well, actually, the golden eyed boy expected his captain to react, but he did not expect him to actually growl his name.

And let’s be honest. That’s the kind of thing that would scare even a T-Rex.

As a knee-jerk reflex, Momotarou jumped to his feet and ran as fast as his legs allowed him to. But he didn’t make it far. A pair of arms tangled with his, and another pair took hold of his legs.

He squawked and grunted as he hit the sand.

Then, he noticed that it was Sousuke-senpai who got a hold of him by the arms, and Rin-senpai was currently straddling his legs, both with some very disturbing expressions on their faces. _As if he was their prey_.

Momotarou whimpered helplessly.

Rin-senpai raised his arm and Momotarou clenched his eyelids shut.

However, the expected punch never came, instead he felt the most unnerving sensation of wetness, rough skin and cold that made him whimper and squirm with all his might. It was so disgusting, disgusting, _disgusting_.

But he held still when he heard both his captors laughing at his situation

His tummy felt uneasy, goose bumps raised on his skin and strained tears fell from his eyes into his hairline, leaving a wet trail behind, yet he couldn’t help but feel giddy and fulfilled, following their example and laughing, too. Nitori-senpai joined soon after.

Some moments later, all four of them calmed down noticeably, and were getting their breaths back.

The orange haired boy took a deep breath and noticed how the night sky was devoid of clouds and the town’s lights were enough far away to not pollute it.

“…It’s really pretty, isn’t it?” Momotarou whispered.

His senpais looked up after catching what he meant.

A peaceful silence stretched for several minutes, while the sensations of the chill air caressing their skin, the sound of waves washing ashore, the smell of salt and sand filling their noses, and the light of the starry night caught by their eyes, lulled them into a safe and comfortable moment in time.

“…Yeah.” Rin-senpai muttered, a tranquil expression on his face.

However the spell was broken when a very startled Mikoshiba Momotarou started shrieking and keening.

“GET THAT THING OFF OF ME!” He wailed.

The other three limited themselves to laugh.

“NII-CHAN, SAVE ME!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAVE TO THANK MY SIS ALBA FOR HER HELP. I wouldn't have finished this on time had it not been for her. <3
> 
> I don't like making my poor baby suffer, but I couldn't help myself, I love writing about him.
> 
> When I got to the part where Momo notices the sky, this started playing: Night Sky & Ever Blue.


	4. 花火の祭り

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Haruka looked back to Rin, he noticed how his eyes shined with restrained tears.
> 
> He also noticed the warm smile Matsuoka tried to suppress.
> 
> “Stop being stupid, Rin. Just smile.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: 花火の祭り (Festival of Fireworks)  
> Rating: **M** , because I need you to be _mature_ about this kind of thing.  
>  **Today’s theme: Alternative Universe (freeiwa on twitter).**  
>  Characters/Pairing: Nanase Haruka, Matsuoka Rin, HaruRin.
> 
> An AU from the AU I adopted (expect the multichapter fic to be posted soon).
> 
> Again, I am aware that the title is so unoriginal it hurts (expect more like this), because I was going to release this one yesterday, but chickened out, and the AU theme works better.

Haruka could see the thrilled glint in Rin’s eyes. Just as much as he saw how he tried to conceal it. Rin might be a model and might have to put up fronts for the shoots, but he sucked at hiding his true feelings.

The designer felt his heart swell in his chest when red eyes locked with his own and a tint of pink colored pale cheeks. The man in front of him was beautiful. Everyone could tell. But no one had seen the prettiest face he could make. That one was reserved solely for Haruka.

A hand was presented to him, and he took it, linking their fingers and then caressing the soft skin on the back of the model’s hand.

Rin didn’t want to refrain from doing corny things -couple things- with Haruka in public, so he decided to don a woman’s kimono with a cherry blossoms print and some cute hairpins. And while the artist was not quite fond of Rin hiding his true self, he also wanted to be openly affectionate with his lover.

Lover. A word Haruka was not used to, but defined perfectly what Rin was to him. And he couldn’t be any happier than this. After all, Haruka was now aware of just how much he had loved the redhead since the moment they officially met, even if he had had no idea what it all meant back then. But now, everything was clear as still water.

As they walked through the crowd the festival had summoned, he wondered what Rin thought of all the times they had to hide (like that time he had been fitting a dress on Rin in one of the changing booths at the shop, but they ended up having a heated make-out session, and Rin was lucky to be wearing a dress that could hide his raging boner, but Haruka was not so fortunate). He wondered if Rin was comfortable with it.

“Stop thinking too hard, dumbass,” Rin laughed. “I can smell the smoke coming from your overheated brain! Give it a fucking rest, seriously…”

Haruka smiled. “You’re going to blow your cover if you keep talking like that.”

The redhead clammed up and pouted, but the glint of amusement in his eyes remained.

The raven haired man stole a glance to his wristwatch and noticing the time, he tugged his lover’s hand along, away from the crowd and up the hill to the deserted terrace.

“What? You want me to drop the charade?” Rin teased, but his voice carried an airy character.

And Haruka smiled at that, he knew what the model was thinking, “Romantic, right?” He whispered.

Rin’s blushing face matched the color of his hair, and Haruka would have laughed, but he turned around when he was interrupted by the voice in the speaker, announcing the next event.

When Haruka looked back to Rin, he noticed how his eyes shined with restrained tears.

He also noticed the warm smile Matsuoka tried to suppress.

“Stop being stupid, Rin. Just smile.”

And he leaned in to kiss soft lips in time with the first firework that went off in the night sky, followed by many others that masked raged breaths and highlighted the fresh tear trails of an overjoyed heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to ask me anything you don't understand, or if there's anything I got wrong, because I'm not all that familiar with genderfluidity. Please and Thank you!


	5. Stop it, Nagisa-kun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, Rei-chan?” He started. “How’s that sunburn on your shoulders doing?"
> 
> The purple eyed boy looked up to Nagisa and smiled in gratitude at the display of care. “It feels quite better now, thank you. Though, it still stings.”
> 
> “Want me to help you with the balm?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Stop it, Nagisa-kun!  
> Rating: G.  
>  **Today’s theme: Feathers (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Characters/Pairing: Ryuugazaki Rei, Hazuki Nagisa, NagiRei.
> 
> In which, Nagisa behaves like the usual little shit he is. (I love him, though, so don’t take it as a bad thing).

Nagisa liked listening to Rei ranting about equations and theory, even if the mere topic bored him to death. He’d most definitely would love it if his bespectacled boyfriend ranted about History. That would really beat everything.

But the most important thing was that he got to listen to his voice without interruptions or reservation.

The blonde rolled onto his back in Rei’s bed, brought a pillow to his chest and started to play with the seams.

“Nagisa-kun, are you listening?” His favorite person in the world uttered in annoyance.

“Nope~!” Was Nagisa’s reply.

Rei sighed. “You’ll get a bad score again, so, please, show some interest in your classes.”

Nagisa pouted. “Booooriiinggg~!”

Somehow, his fingers found a way into the pillowcase and the magenta eyed teenager felt the softness of the feather filling. A self satisfied smile took place on his features.

“I wonder if Rei-chan is ticklish,” he muttered.

“Hmm?” Rei’s sound of question showed that he didn’t understand what the blonde had said. _Safe!_

Nagisa took one feather out of the case and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Hey, Rei-chan?” He started. “How’s that sunburn on your shoulders doing?"

The purple eyed boy looked up to Nagisa and smiled in gratitude at the display of care. “It feels quite better now, thank you. Though, it still stings.”

“Want me to help you with the balm?”

Rei’s eyes widened. To Nagisa, it was obvious what thought went through his mind. _‘How did I get such a caring boyfriend?’_

Nagisa felt a bit guilty, because the other male was absolutely oblivious to the blonde’s scheming. Oh, how wrong Rei-chan was.

“If you will,” The soft tone in Rei’s voice felt like a stab to the heart.

But the desire to prank was stronger than the guilt.

Rei unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders while the other boy went to get the balm vial. Nagisa nearly forgot why he wanted his boyfriend to take off his shirt, so biting his own lip saved him from attacking Rei.

Instead, he focused on smearing lightly the balm over the reddened skin and cleaning his fingers right after, promptly reaching for the soft feather that would be his tool for torture.

Dexterously, the blonde trailed –or tried to– a line between his boyfriend’s side muscles. And he only got to the “try” because as soon as the first few millimeters that the feather brushed his skin, Rei shrieked an outraged “NAGISA-KUN..!” and the shorter swimmer giggled.

“WHAT DO YOU _THINK YOU’RE DOING_ , NAGISA-KUN?!”

Seriously, Rei-chan’s gonna become mute after so much screaming in his lifetime.

But the bespectacled male’s distress did not deter the blonde’s itch to torment him.

“Teehee~”

“Don’t you ‘teehee’ me! This is not a beautiful behavio-” Another shriek. “S-STOP IT, NAGISA-KUN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NagiRei as requested by astrid-nara (on Tumblr), because she loves Nagisa ~~and when I asked her whether I should write RinHaru or NagiRei, she instantly jumped up at the latter~~.


	6. Australia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "When I’m swimming, I remember… light. And my limbs feel warm, but when I blink, there’s no light, and no one is waiting for me at the starting block. I am alone. I can’t swim the way I want to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Australia.  
> Rating: T. Mildly angsty.  
>  **Today’s theme: Downfall (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Characters/Pairing: Matsuoka Rin. Implied RinHaru.

It’s their fault. They made me this way. I hate them. I hate _him_.

 

Thinking about it, they are probably having a blast, back at home.

Home.

What is it? _Where_ is it? I don’t belong anymore.

 

These are the thoughts that torment me day in and day out. They assault me during the most innocuous moments. Sometimes they make sense, others they do not.

Say, when I’m jogging in the morning, I remember when I used to do it with them, I remember the laughter, and I remember how the soft puffs of his breath fogged as they came in contact with the cool winter air.

 

When I’m swimming, I remember… light. And my limbs feel warm, but when I blink, there’s no light, and no one is waiting for me at the starting block. I am alone. I can’t swim the way I want to.

 

When I’m in the shower, rinsing out the chlorinated water from my hair, I remember raven locks. I wonder how they would feels like. Are they soft or are they thick? I catch myself and pull my hair as an attempt to clear my mind.

 

When I eat, I wonder what kind of faces they would make tasting new dishes. I wonder if he’d make a face at all.

I’m not hungry anymore.

 

I went to the beach once, with everyone else from the swimming school. The water was warm, it felt nice.

At some point my eyes went to the horizon. I noticed the color of the water and the sky. It made me remember his blue eyes.

My goggles slipped off and I lost them, salt water got into my eyes and they stung. Though, I wasn’t sure if it was the water that made me cry, or the color of the ocean.

 

I know I said I’d give up. I did. I gave up, but I can’t resign yet, I can’t let my mother’s efforts go to waste.

 

Sometimes I dream of them. I dream of the relay. I dream of the exchange when I touch the wall and he flies overhead and how the time seems to have slowed down. I can see everything in perfect detail, as if I were living it all over again.

 

I wake up feeling weird. I know it has to do with my voice getting deeper and my muscles getting bigger. I know it has to do with the way the hairs in my body are getting thicker and I feel the need to shave them off. But I don’t understand why is it only with him.

I wonder if he has the same problem as me. He probably doesn’t, he feels nothing.

I undo the knot on my pants’ waist and get to work. Black and blue flash in my mind. Is his skin as soft as I remember it looks? I run my hand on my abs, and wonder if he’d see the hard work behind them. My voice breaks and tears run down my face. I feel good. But I feel like trash. And the tears never stop.

 

As I jog, I can feel the power in my legs, I know I’ve been working hard, but apparently it’s not hard enough. I still can’t overcome my rivals. I still finish the laps last. Is he still as far away as always? Will I ever be able to beat him? But my times are getting shorter. And I gain some confidence in this.

It doesn’t mean I will continue to swim when I get back to Japan. I just need to leave Australia with a small amount of dignity.

 

While I was jogging I fell. I can’t walk for a while, let alone jog or swim. My body aches, but I feel relieved. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, at least for a while. My relief is only short lived, because the memories come crashing into my mind, and I can’t get them out. I spend the rest of the two weeks crying my own misery.

I thought I had forgotten already, but the memories feel as fresh as they were years ago.

My leg hurts, it’s throbbing in time with my anguished heart that’s beating fast and strong at the simple thought of him.

Will I ever forget? Or will my mind forever play and replay every second I spent with him?

I need to forget. Or else, I won’t be able to get back up on my feet and move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm on a roll with angst. Ugh.
> 
> Don't kill me.


	7. Rei's Absence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not normal that Rei misses practice, but it's more normal that Nagisa covers him, and it's also obvious that they are _so going out_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Rei’s Absence.  
>  **Today’s Theme: Injury (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Rating: T.  
> Characters/Pairing: Hazuki Nagisa, Ryuugazaki Rei, Tachibana Makoto, Nanase Haruka, Matsuoka Gou. NagiRei.

“What do you mean, Rei won’t make it to practice?” Makoto ‘s voice was filled with more curiosity than worry.

Nagisa scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, it’s just that he hurt himself last night.”

“Eh? But he did come to classes this morning?”

“Well, yeah, he did, but he said that his pain would ‘ _get in the way of his beautiful swimming_ ’,” The blond lowered his voice tone to somewhat match Rei’s, “or something like that.”

“Isn’t he doing something without telling us, again, like last year?” Haruka asked.

“Nope!” Nagisa chirped. “I was with him last night, so I know!”

Gou narrowed her eyes. “Why were you with him?”

“I-I went to get him to help me with some homework!”

“Huh?” Both Makoto and Gou seemed taken by surprise. “W-well, it is true that Nagisa stays over at Rei’s a lot.” The brunet amended.

“But isn’t it suspicious that Rei-kun didn’t call us? Why is Nagisa-ku-“

“His cell phone ran out of battery! He told me to tell you that he fell on his butt and now he can’t swim!”

…

“Why did you them I ‘ _fell on my butt_ ’, Nagisa-kun?!”

“Well, how else did you expect me to explain everyone that you can’t walk because your butt hurts too much without telling them the truth?”

“I don’t know, something more credible? I am not as clumsy as you made me appear.”

“Then what, should I have said the truth? That you don't wanna use your swimsuit because I left you so many hickeys that you’d be ashamed everyone saw them, and that you’re using the excuse of your butt hurting because I fucked you so har-“

“DON’T SAY ANOTHER WORD.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason I like Nagisa acting like a blunt little shit, don't kill me.


	8. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My world’s surface rippled and everything turned back and white at the same time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Storm.  
>  **Today’s theme: Wave (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Rating: T. Angsty.  
> Characters: Matsuoka Toraichi.
> 
> Why am I writing angst again? I would normally ask you not to kill me, but now I'm begging you to, please.

It was supposed to be a safe fishing trip.

I personally took care of the weather report assessment. It was supposed to be a sunny, cloudless week. _Not this ungodly storm_.

As the first officer, I was in charge of keeping the crew in their spots, helping everyone with their jobs and do everything while the captain was managing with the helm. But I feared the old man would not be able to hold it, with the strength the sea was mustering, I was almost expecting that the whole thing would snap.

We lost some cages with our last catches, since we didn’t have the time to secure them.

Many of our men were nearly freaking out, fearing that they would not make it back to dry land, others were praying. I could only focus on my family.

Miyako, my beautiful blessing, the love of my life. Rin, my brave warrior, proud hunter of earth worms. Gou, my cute little princess, the pretty girl who can talk her way in and out of things.

Will I see them again?

I was soaking wet, not a single stitch of my clothes was dry. I could feel the cold of the enraged sea permeate my bones, saturate my raw scraped skin, and stinging my chapped lips with each spray of water.

Lightning rolled through the clouds, the roar of thunder overwhelming our already over-stimulated senses. It was hard to breathe, as the air was humid and freezing cold. Each time our breath left our nostrils and mouths, it would fog thickly. Not that it was easy to notice in the downpour and constant sway of our ship.

My confidence was slowly slipping away with each passing second, I was losing hope.

My wife would usually tell me my mind was like the surface of a tranquil, early morning lake. Right now, I knew it was as frantic as the ocean itself.

I didn’t hear them, our crew, yelling and screaming, scared voices of warning, I only saw it once it was too late. It was the largest wave I had ever seen in my life, and my brain provided me instantly with the most likely outcome.

 _We are not gonna make it_.

In a rare moment of insanity, I laughed. My voice muted by the wails coming from the wave, the blackest shade of ocean I swore it was _impossible_ to exist. I laughed at the irony of my state of mind. I had reached the point in which my head was so full of static it negated itself, and all the noise became silence.

The boat was down turned by the force behind the wave.

I didn’t feel when I hit the water, I felt so numb. All the silence in my mind flooded into reality and the world quieted. My lungs burned as the icy water entered them. My eyes saw the shape of the boat as it was wrecked by the unforgiving ocean, I saw my crewmates flailing their limbs, trying to reach and breach the surface. But the darkness kept pulling at them, pushing them lower and lower.

My mind became a tranquil lake again. And my family’s laughter filled my mind as a last thought.

My world’s surface rippled and everything turned back and white at the same time.

I love you. Live on. Don’t forget about me.

 _Please_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~I gave Mamatsuoka Emi as her name, because I liked it.~~
> 
> ~~恵(e)- blessing, 美(mi)- beautiful~~
> 
> EDIT: Since Mamatsuoka now has a canon name, I edited it in!


	9. Merman ...or Mermaid?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nagi-Momo combo strikes again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Merman ...or Mer _maid_?  
>  **Today’s theme: Footprints (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Rating: G.  
> Characters: Nitori Ai’ichirou, Mikoshiba Momotarou, Hazuki Nagisa.

Nitori woke up when the parasol was swept away by the wind with his face feeling feverish and his body feeling cold. The sun was beating down on him relentlessly and he had to squint hard his eyes to avoid getting blind.

He couldn’t remember what had happened, just that he passed out after a very long beach volleyball game between the Iwatobi team and the Samezuka team. Apparently he got slightly dehydrated.

Ai tried to move, but his body felt restrained, and when he tried to see what was trapping him, a mouthful of sand met him. He coughed it out and wriggled out of his sandy prison. Or rather, his sandy _body_.

A large amount of sand slid off of him and faintly resembled the prior masterpiece. The shape of a mermaid’s body, with _starfishes covering the breasts_ , too, had been molded from the sand that covered him.

The light blue eyed swimmer felt his eyebrow twitch. There were only two individuals he knew who were absolutely capable of such… prank.

He noticed also that there were footprints that mingled around him and then headed towards the umbrella he thought had been blown away. And, as if they were summoned by Ai’s mind, a couple of bright colored mops of hair and a hint of golden and magenta peeked from behind a red and white stripped umbrella.

_Who allowed these two to get along this much?_

The Samezuka second-year stood, rather shakily, and after a few well performed deep breaths, his face shot up and glared directly to where the Nagi-Momo combo hid. Two voices giggled in nervousness, and then two undignified yelps were uttered when the grey haired boy raced to where they hid.

“Run, Momo-chan, RUN!”

“HAZUKI-SAN! MOMO-KUN!” Ai bellowed.

“UWAAAAH!” Momo screeched.

After several seconds of fruitless pursue, Nitori relented, huffing and sweating like before he passed out, and threw himself to the sand unceremoniously, closing his eyes and covering his heated face with his arms.

He heard the muffled sounds of steps against the scorching sand.

“Ai-chan? You okay?”

“Should I get Nitori-senpai some water?”

Ai’ichirou was taken aback. Did these two actually care about him, even if they constantly bullied and teased him?

“Yes, please, give me water,” He groaned.

“Hurry, Momo-chan! I’ll get the umbrella.”

The blue eyed swimmer smiled tiredly. _Maybe_ they weren’t so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Albis for this wonderful idea!


	10. Old Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to clean the house, and he knows he's been putting off cleaning his parent's room, but everything in due time, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Old Days.  
>  **Today’s theme: Wild! (freeiwa_daily on twitter).**  
>  Rating: G.  
> Characters: Nanase Haruka, Nanase Family.
> 
> This is pretty much an apology for all the angst I’ve written. Enjoy.

Haruka went through some of the belongings his parents had left behind in the closet of their bedroom. It _was_ time to clean and dust some, he decided.

There were old albums, full of photographs from back when his father hadn’t gotten his job at Tokyo and his mother worked at the nearby dinner. Back when Baa-chan was still alive.

He noted that even when he was very little his smiles were rare, at most.

There were some others of those.

In another box filled with his old belongings, back when he was a baby, the swimmer found another album, as if it had been hidden amongst the relics. Haruka’s mind filled with curiosity and his heart beat faster and harder against his ribcage.

His fingers thrummed with restrained excitement as he lifted the hard cover and the photos were revealed to his eyes, which shone with the discovery.

The pictures were displays and memories of his parents’ youth. Back when they had none of their current preoccupations, and they were only going out, back when they were rebellious and wild, free and spontaneous.

Haruka’s whole body shuddered with new found delight. As if he had found an ages’ old treasure. Maybe it was.

Their faces where ridiculous: strange smiles and puckered faces with unrestrained childlike immaturity, crossed eyes and raised eyebrows, weird poses and complicated embraces, the craziest hairdos and unexpected colors that tinted their style.

Even Baa-chan was included in their amusing bubble of joy. Her clothes were the most interesting combinations of frilly, tight, loose and colorful.

The boy’s heart ached as his fingers caressed the smooth surface of an especially precious photo.

His father held in his arms both his mother and his newly wedded wife –he could see the rings around their fingers-, who seemed to be glowing and she was hugging her, squinting a bit to see it, slightly swollen stomach, she was hugging _him_.

The three of them were smiling. And Haruka’s expression softened, a warm smile blossomed on his lips.

Maybe going back through some old stuff was worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr as "karratran" as well!  
> (karratran.tumblr.com)


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